


Babe

by cathcer1984



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Getting Back Together, M/M, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 11:56:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19250725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathcer1984/pseuds/cathcer1984
Summary: Stiles broke up with Derek but for the Pack thanksgiving dinner he asks that they pretend to still be together. Despite is reluctance and his broken heart, Derek agrees.





	Babe

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd. 
> 
> I know it's short, it could be a lot longer.

When Derek pulled the camaro to stop outside the Sheriff’s house, and saw that Stiles’ jeep was already in the driveway, he took a deep breath. Derek flexed his fingers letting his claws out for a second before getting out of the car. 

The driver’s door of the jeep opened and Stiles stepped onto the driveway. Derek allowed himself to look. Stiles’ hair was messy, he had bags under his eyes, he was wearing an old hoodie that stretched across his shoulders. His eyes caught Derek’s and they narrowed in disdain. 

Derek reached into his car to pull out his bag of gifts before moving to meet Stiles by his jeep; the bulk of it would hide them from shoulders down.

“This is just for my dad because it’s thanksgiving.” Stiles said blandly. 

“This time.” Derek agreed and when Stiles looked at him sharply he shrugged. “Right? In a few weeks it’ll be Christmas and after that- New Years. Summer barbecues, Sheriff department fundraisers and your graduation.” Derek stared at Stiles, “Don’t pretend your doing it so you don’t burden him with disappointment over the holidays. You may not want me anymore Stiles, but you sure as hell need me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Stiles snapped back. His heartbeat was fast and erratic, his cheeks full of colour Derek assumed his was more angry than embarrassed. 

“You need me to look pretty on your arm and-”

Stiles’ hand reached up and grabbed the back of Derek’s neck. To anyone observing it was an intimate gesture, to any of the Pack it was a high sign of trust and affection. It was anything but, Stiles’ fingernails dug into the side of Derek’s neck, almost breaking skin. “You are nothing to me, you hear? _Nothing_. And after this is over I’ll have no qualms about telling anyone, dad or the Pack otherwise.” 

Clenching his jaw Derek pulled out of Stiles’ too tight hold. Stiles smirked, it was triumphant and cruel. “Your delusions of your importance in my life are amusing to me. Do go on, tell me more.” 

“Boys!” They both turned, Derek quickly covering his sneer with a smile as he faced Melissa. “This isn’t fashionable, it’s just plain late.”

“Sorry Melissa,” Derek said smoothly. “Trying to coordinate timings and traffic.” 

“Doesn’t matter, Mel, party doesn’t start until I have arrived!” Stiles grinned and pushed passed Derek to pull Melissa into a tight hug. “Happy thanksgiving Mel, I’ve missed you.” 

“Don’t let your father hear you saying that to me first,” she laughed pressing a kiss to his cheek. Stiles made his way inside without a backwards glance at Derek.   
Melissa gave Derek a soft smile, “he’s a whirlwind that one.” 

“He’s something alright.” Derek smiled weakly aware of how bitter he sounded. Melissa’s brow furrowed into a frown. “Where should I put these pies?” 

“Pop them in the fridge, we’ll heat them in the oven after the turkey’s out.” She ran a hand up his arm and squeezed his shoulder before leading the way inside. 

Derek was working in the kitchen with Melissa. He had said his hellos to John, Scott, Kira and her parents, Chris, Lydia, Malia, Parrish and Isaac. Stiles had both ignored Derek and paid him more attention than he had in months. He constantly touched Derek, left his scent all over Derek’s clothes and skin. He would smirk cruelly and catch his eye when they were on opposite sides of the room but never said a word to him, talking around his sentences leaving Derek feeling lonely. 

“Here you are.” Stiles’ voice, for the first time ever, filled Derek with a sense of dread. “Are you hiding, _babe_?” Derek couldn’t stop the flinch. He absolutely hated being called ‘babe’ and Stiles knew it. It was a weapon, one that Derek himself had handed over to Stiles. It wasn’t unusual for Stiles to call Derek names - ‘sweetheart’, ‘darling’, ‘big guy’, ‘sourwolf’ but ‘babe’ was never on the list. Until now, it seemed. 

“Oh I just roped in his competent hands into the kitchen,” Melissa interrupted. “No one else has offered,” she raised her voice making sure the other werewolves would hear her over the background music, the football game, the chatter of conversation and the various kitchen noises. 

“I’m aware of how competent Derek’s hands are, Mel.” Stiles said with a wink and a smirk. Derek was thrown for a moment, thinking of the last time he had his hands on Stiles. It had been a month ago, about a week before Stiles broke up with him. Derek had traced the moles on Stiles chest after they’d had sex. Stiles had batted his hands away, rolled over and gone to sleep. It was the most unsatisfactory sex they’d ever had. Over the last half a year sex was perfunctory, some that Stiles seemed put-upon to give Derek. It should have been a warning sign, at the very least, that Stiles was unhappy. 

“Did you want something, Stiles?” Derek knew he sounded tired. Melissa looked over at him in concern whilst Stiles’ face was a picture of disapproval.

“Just checking in _babe_. Wouldn’t want you to leave without a word now would we?” Stiles glared at him before leaving the kitchen. 

Derek rubbed his chest, the ache in his heart had not gone away since Stiles had pushed his hand away that last time. Derek had left when Stiles fell asleep. Intentionally leaving Stiles to wake up alone, something Stiles had always hated, was cruel Derek knew that but he’d felt isolated, alone and Stiles had shut him out. Stiles’ visits down to see Derek on weekends had seemed like a chore, and when Derek went up to visit him Stiles was always busy with this assignment or that study group. Eventually their visits dwindled down to once a month and then even less. 

“Is it bad?” Melissa asked quietly. 

“No.” Derek said immediately. “Yes,” he admitted when he caught her gaze. 

“You want to talk about it?” 

“To who?” Derek whispered, voice breaking. “You’re all his family first.” 

Melissa’s face crumpled. “That doesn’t mean you’re not family Derek. It doesn’t matter who I’ve known the longest. In fact, it maybe makes me the best person. I am well aware of Stiles’ faults. You’re good for him. He’s just lashing out because he’s stressed, or hurting...” 

“He’s not lashing out Mel, he _wants_ to hurt me.” Derek scrubbed as his burning eyes. “It’s fine. It’ll be fine.” 

“I hope you two can work it out.” Melissa said with a soft smile. 

“Me too.” Derek allowed himself to hope before Stiles’ cold, cruel words floated through his head. “But I don’t think so. I think it’s over, Mel. He doesn’t love me, he doesn’t want me anymore.”

Melissa wrapped Derek in a tight motherly hug. “Oh, my boy. If you love him, let him know, fight for him.” 

“He won’t speak to me. He barely looks at me. I’ve not seen him in a month, haven’t spoken to him in three weeks since he called and ended it.” Derek squeezed his eyes shut against the wetness, he took a deep shuddering breath letting Melissa’s scent fill his nose and calm him. 

They hugged for a bit longer then Derek gathered the last of his mental strength to pull back. Melissa wiped his cheeks and pulled his head down so she could plant a soft kiss to his forehead. 

“Thank you,” he said, voice rough. 

“Anytime. And I mean that Derek, you come to me anytime. My door is always open.” She kissed him gently once more, on the cheek this time. 

“Am I interrupting?” 

“Of course not, John.” Melissa laughed as he strode over to pull her into his arms. John eyed Derek thoughtfully. 

“You might want to wash your face, son.” John gave him a piercing stare. “You know where the bathroom is.” 

Derek nodded and made his way out of the kitchen. In the little hallway space between the kitchen and living room Stiles was leaning, slumped even, against the wall nearest the kitchen door. 

He looked defeated. They stared at each other for a long moment but when Stiles opened his mouth to speak Derek turned and made his way upstairs. 

In the bathroom he splashed cold water on his face, he knew Stiles had followed him up but Derek didn’t acknowledge him as he entered the bathroom. 

“I’m sorry.” Stiles whispered. “I-” he swallowed heavily. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you ‘babe’.”

Swallowing down a laugh, because that was the last thing Derek cared about right now, Derek bobbed his head. He pulled a towel close and pressed it to his face for a few seconds too long. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does.” Stiles’ voice was firm.

“Why?” Derek demanded. “Why does it matter Stiles? We’re done.”

“They’ll hear you downstairs.” 

“I don’t give a fuck anymore. None of this matters, your reason for asking me to do this was so _stupid_ -”

“I’m not stupid!” Stiles exclaimed. 

“Stop putting words in my mouth! I didn’t say _you_ were.” Derek took a deep breath and carefully folded the towel. It was ridiculous, he was brimming with emotion, anger and loneliness and desire and Stiles’ scent was all around him and he was standing so far away and too close and Derek couldn’t cope with it all. He just wanted to run and howl and cry and scream. “Look, this isn’t going to work. I’ll make my excuses and I’ll go. I have a box of your things at the apartment, I’ll send them to your place at Berkeley.”

“What?” Stiles looked horrified. “You packed up my stuff?”

“What was I supposed to do? Keep it?” Derek had, he hadn’t touched any of it. He couldn’t bare the thought of packing every bit of Stiles out of his life. “Was I supposed to hope you would come back? You never spoke to me expect to break up with me. You text everything else.” 

“I didn’t think-” Stiles swallowed again. “I didn’t think you’d just walk away.” 

Derek did laugh then, bitter and short. “I didn’t walk, I was pushed. You pushed me away for months! It was clear you didn’t want to be here, it was obvious you didn’t want me, sex was a chore for you. I have just one question for you Stiles, why the fuck did you let it go on so long? Why didn’t you say six months ago you weren’t happy? Why didn’t you end it then? Why drag it out? Was it fun for you?”

“Fun?!” Stiles spat back. “You think I’m having fun?”

“My delusions are amusing to you, isn’t that what you said?” Derek snarled. Stiles closed his eyes and regret filled his features. 

“I’m sorry.” Stiles wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “I thought it would be better if you left but you never did. You were so good to me Derek, you kept giving me space and time and I felt so guilty and I pushed you away and now we’re here and it’s a mess. It’s all a fucking mess, and it’s all my fault.” 

Derek didn’t say anything, he just stood there watching Stiles break down. Tears flowed over his red cheeks, he swiped at them harshly with fists, he was breathing in short gasps and he kept looking at Derek like he was drowning. 

“I failed. I didn’t get the scholarship I wanted for post-grad at Berkeley. I didn’t pass any of my papers last semester. I’ve been trying to do five papers this year, I lost my job at the bookstore, I’ve failed Derek and… and…”

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Derek asked softly, reaching out to brush the tips of his fingers over Stiles’ hand.

“You always go on about how proud you are of me, you tell everyone I’m smart and I’m so fucking embarrassed that I failed four papers at once and I’m not good enough, I don’t deserve you especially not now when I’ve been so cruel.”

Unable to bear it anymore Derek pulled Stiles into his chest. He held him tight and let Stiles cry into his shirt and if a few tears of his own soaked into Stiles’ hair then no one else had to know but them. “I am proud of you and you are smart. You’re so smart, Stiles but there’s more than one type of intelligence. Books and learning aren’t everything. Look at me, and your dad. We never went to college, does that mean we aren’t smart?” Stiles shook his head. “No. That’s right, we are, in our way and so are you. I know it’s hard for you to focus, I know the ADHD makes it difficult sometimes but you do so well and I’m so proud of you. If it takes you a little longer to graduate then so what?” 

Stiles lifted his head. “I’m so ashamed,” he whispered. 

Derek pressed their foreheads together. “And that’s okay. We can work it, you and me and your dad and the Pack.” 

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Perhaps not,” Derek smiled softly, before he pressed a kiss to Stiles’ wet lips. “But you have me anyway.”

**Author's Note:**

> I assume Derek doesn't want to be called 'babe' cause it reminds him of his mum and dad (not because of tiggery Kate-reasons). 
> 
> I also assume Derek is a deputy in this verse. 
> 
> I don't have ADHD but I do have other issues which cause concentration problems and I failed an entire semester at uni, it happens, it's okay. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start again. If anyone is offended, I apologise and I welcome you to come and talk to me about it (politely, of course).


End file.
